SYRACUSE -- Vacant properties is an issue Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner addressed directly in her State of the City address Thursday night.
She intends to target vacant properties which are not tax delinquent through a registry. Owners will be required to register vacant properties with the city and develop a plan for the sale or rehabilitation of the property or pay an increasing fee each year.
Stacey Tonkin was happy to hear about the plan as she walked past an eye sore in her North Side neighborhood.
"I just think it looks bad right now and I hope they can do something with it," says Tonkin.
Rich Puchalski with Syracuse United Neighbors says it's only one step in the right direction.
"We think this is a step in terms of pressuring the owner. But we think they should be forced to carry insurance, fire insurance, liability insurance on these properties," says Puchalski.
Puchalski also thinks the city should institute trespassing affidavits. He says vacant properties are dangerous for responsible homeowners.
"People in our neighborhood suffer from these vacant houses. They worry about a fire, they worry about people getting into them, they've seen drugs being stashed as well as weapons," says Puchalski.
People seem hopeful the city can tackle this problem and clean up our neighborhoods one abandoned home at a time.
"I hope so because like I said its look terrible all these vacant apartments," says Tonkin.
